Identity

Today’s sermon at church was about Gospel Community, but more specifically, how to find your identity and how that defines your roles in that community.

I walked away with a lot to think about (thanks so much for bringing it, Paster Kevin!) but the thing that impacted me the most was a huge realization of why I get so down when we have a rough day with Ruby. They don’t happen all the time, but when she is having a moody and defiant day, I end the day feeling discouraged and like a failure.

The funny thing about the timing of the sermon is that I had just shared with a dear friend this morning before church how happy I was that I defined myself as a stay-at-home mom even though I do still have a career, albeit part-time. The problem is when my sin nature allows me to DEFINE myself wholly as that, and not the redeemed child of God, enveloped in grace and forgiveness.

Romans 3:21 – 2621 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

No matter how Ruby’s day goes, it is not a reflection on whether I am a good person or parent. No matter what happens in a day, how I fall short, HE sees me as redeemed – ALWAYS! That is awesome. I need to take that grace in more, and not be so hard on myself.

I really walked away from this morning encouraged. There was much more to the sermon – really wonderful stuff about reflecting this grace and love in your Gospel community – and about how people will witness this and it will be evidence of the Gospel as reality. What an honor to be able to reflect Christ and it’s available to all.